TO PREPARE DOUGH Mix flour and the water; knead into a ball. Let it rise under a napkin to soften, about ½ hour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut dough into small chunks and roll into 12 to 18 small flat circles.

TO PREPARE FILLING AND ASSEMBLE Mash the ground beef, onion, daikon, garlic, ginger, green onions and cilantro together. Season with salt to taste.

Place a spoonful or two of filling on a dough circle, bring the edges together and pinch them closed. Place momos in a steaming basket or on a rack over boiling water and cook on high for 30 minutes. Serve hot with salsa, Vietnamese hot sauce and Vietnamese soybean sauce.

NOTE: * Daikon is a mild white radish available in the produce section of Oriental markets and many supermarkets.

NOTE: Vietnamese hot sauce or Vietnamese soybean sauce is available in Oriental markets.

Makes 12 to 18

Recipe from Jigme Topgyal, a Tibetan who comes from the south-cental Asian land where for centuries his people have lived high above the rest of the world in a mostly barren landscape dominated by the majestic Himalayas and other towering mountains. He often makes Tibet's national dish and serves them with a mild tomato salsa, "Tsal", made from chopped tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and garlic; and a Vietnamese hot sauce and a Vietnamese soybean sauce.

They are eaten as a finger food or with chopsticks. In addition to the meat filling in this recipe, he also uses chicken, or a vegetable/tofu mixture.

In his native Tibet, these would be made with a flour ground from roasted barley called "Tsampa". The Chicken filling usually is made with ground chicken mashed with onions, daikon, fresh ginger, garlic and cilantro. The Vegetarian filling contains chopped cabbage, bok choy, tofu, green onion, ginger and garlic.

He recently started selling momos at Portland Saturday Market at his Tibetan Momos booth.

Source: Oregonian FoodDay, July 18, 1995 Written by Merle Alexander of the Oregonian staff.